Men to watch at the French Open, where play begins Sunday:
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NOVAK DJOKOVIC
Seeded: 1
Ranked: 1
Country: Serbia
Age: 33
2020 Match Record: 31-1
2020 Singles Titles: 4
Career Singles Titles: 81
Grand Slam Singles Titles: 17 French Open (1: 2016), Australian Open (8: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020), Wimbledon (5: 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019), U.S. Open (3: 2011, 2015, 2018)
Last 5 French Opens: 2019-Lost in Semifinals, 2018-QF, 2017-QF, 2016-Won Championship, 2015-Runner-Up
Aces: Resumes bid for Grand Slam title No. 18 which would put him two behind Roger Federer, one behind Rafael Nadal — after being disqualified at the U.S. Open. … Returned to competition at Italian Open, which he won for a record 36th Masters 1000 trophy, breaking a tie with Nadal. … Passed Pete Sampras this week for second place behind Federer in list of most weeks at No. 1 in the ATP rankings.
Matchup to Watch For: Could play No. 15 seed Karen Khachanov in 4th round.
Words: Pete was my childhood idol growing up, so of course surpassing his records is very special to me. I always looked up to him, and I wished to be mentally strong and resilient as he is, especially in the big tournaments, in the big moments. Djokovic on Sampras.
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RAFAEL NADAL
Seeded: 2
Ranked: 2
Country: Spain
Age: 34
2020 Match Record: 15-4
2020 Singles Titles: 1
Career Singles Titles: 85
Grand Slam Singles Titles: 19 French Open (12: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019), Australian Open (1: 2009), Wimbledon (2: 2008, 2010), U.S. Open (4: 2010, 2013, 2017, 2019)
Last 5 French Opens: 2019-W, 2018-W, 2017-W, 2016-3rd, 2015-QF
Aces: Went 6 months from end of February to mid-September between matches. … Bidding to tie Federers record for men of 20 Grand Slam singles titles. If he does that, would extend his own mark for most titles at any major tournament; a 13th trophy in Paris would give him a higher total at that one event than all but three other men in history have won at all the Slams. … Only losses at Roland Garros came in fourth round to Robin Soderling in 2009, and in quarterfinals to Djokovic in 2015; pulled out of 2016 tournament because of a wrist injury.
Matchup to Watch For: Could face 2014 U.S. Open runner-up Kei Nishikori in 3rd round, John Isner (who pushed Nadal to 5 sets in Paris in 2011) in 4th.
Words: I had to come back very slow. After two months without touching a racket, I needed to make things step by step, trying to avoid injuries. Nadal on resuming practice after the pandemic lockdown.
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DOMINIC THIEM
Seeded: 3
Ranked: 3
Country: Austria
Age: 27
2020 Match Record: 16-5
2020 Singles Titles: 1
Career Singles Titles: 17
Grand Slam Singles Titles: 1 U.S. Open (2020)
Last 5 French Opens: 2019-RU, 2018-RU, 2017-SF, 2016-SF, 2015-2nd
Aces: Coming off his first Grand Slam title, rallying to win the U.S. Open final after dropping the first two sets; no one had won that tournament in that fashion in 71 years. … 10 titles came on clay. … 22-4 at French Open over past 4 years; 3 losses to Nadal, 1 to Djokovic.
Matchup to Watch For: Faces 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic in 1st round; could play big server Reilly Opelka in 2nd.
Words: The pressure got bigger and bigger, somehow, and its all gone now, obviously, because no matter what happens from now on, I can always say that Im a U.S. Open champion. Thats absolutely amazing to me. Thiem.
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DANIIL MEDVEDEV
Seeded: 4
Ranked: 5
Country: Russia
Age: 24
2020 Match Record: 15-7
2020 Singles Titles: 0
Career Singles Titles: 7
Grand Slam Singles Titles: 0 Best: RU, U.S. Open (2019)
Last 5 French Opens: 2019-1st, 2018-1st, 2017-1st, 2016-DNP, 2015-DNP
Aces: Despite all of his quick strides and climb up the rankings, has yet to win a match at Roland Garros in three appearances. … Lost his opening match on clay at the Hamburg Open this week after making a run to the U.S. Open semifinals.
Matchup to Watch For: Could face No. 13 seed Andrey Rublev, a long-time friend, in 4th round rematch of U.S. Open quarterfinal but neither ever has won a French Open match.
Words: Months ago, (if) someone would tell me I would make semis of U.S. Open, I would be super happy, because I was not feeling great about my game, great about my physical shape. I had, I want to say, huge troubles in practice. I was like, OK, how Im going to play?” Medvedev.
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ALEXANDER ZVEREV
Seeded: 6
Ranked: 7
Country: Germany
Age: 23
2020 Match Record: 12-7
2020 Singles Titles: 0
Career Singles Titles: 11
Grand Slam Singles Titles: 0 Best: RU, U.S. Open (2020)
Last 5 French Opens: 2019-QF, 2018-QF, 2017-1st, 2016-3rd, 2015-DNP
Aces: Made Grand Slam semifinal debut at 2020 Australian Open, then reached final of U.S. Open before losing to Thiem in a fifth-set tiebreaker. Will be fascinating to see if he can put that disappointment behind him. … Averaged 5.9 double-faults in 2019, second-most on tour.
Matchup to Watch For: Could face No. 25 seed Alex De Minaur in 3rd round.
Words: Yeah, I mean, Im 23 years old. I dont think its my last chance. I do believe that I will be a Grand Slam champion at some point. Zverev after loss in U.S. Open final.
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ANDY MURRAY
Unseeded
Ranked: 111
Country: Britain
Age: 33
2020 Match Record: 3-2
2020 Singles Titles: 0
Career Singles Titles: 46
Grand Slam Singles Titles: 3 Wimbledon (2: 2013, 2016), U.S. Open (1: 2012)
Last 5 French Opens: 2019-DNP, 2018-DNP, 2017-SF, 2016-RU, 2015-SF
Aces: Given a wild-card entry; only man not from France to receive one. … Still working his way back from two hip operations; second-round showing at U.S. Open was first competition since November. … Reached at least the semifinals in past 4 appearances in Paris, and 5 of last 6, but he hasn’t entered the tournament since 2017.
Matchup to Watch For: Faces 3-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka in 1st round
Words: The more tournaments that you play, the more matches that you play, you build up that sort of robustness in your body, which right now I dont really have. Murray.
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